Ball and cup toy

ABSTRACT

A toy including a tapered cup adapted to be held in the hand of a user, and a ball connected to the cup by an elastic band, in a relation enabling a user to throw the ball outwardly from the cup by manipulation of the latter, with the ball then being returned toward the cup by the elastic band to be caught in the cup by the user.

United States Patent Fraga Aug. 29, 1972 [54] BALL AND CUP TOY FOREIGN PATENI'S OR APPLICATIONS Inventor: Cornelio Fraga, 6047 King Ave.,

Maywood, Calif. 90270 [22] Filed: Oct. 16, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 81,247

[52] US. Cl. ..273/97 R, 273/58 C [51] Int. Cl. ..A63b 71/00 [58] Field of Search ..273/95 R, 95 A, 96 R, 97, 98

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,515,226 7/ 1950 Horwitch ..273/97 R 2,029,790 2/ 1936 Philipp ..273/96 R 3,262,703 7/1966 Wodlick ..273/95 A 3,229,979 1/1966 Smoak ..273/97 R 414,0I7 7/1934 Great Britain ..273/97 R Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind Attorney-William P. Green ABSTRACT A toy including a tapered cup adapted to be held in the hand of a user, and a ball connected to the cup by an elastic band, in a relation enabling a user to throw the ball outwardly from the cup by manipulation of the latter, with the ball then being returned toward the cup by the elastic band to be caught in the cup by the 3 Claims, 6Drawing Figures PATENTED M1829 I972 INVENTOI-Z. COQUEL/O F246;;

. "QTTOQ Ey BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a unique type of toy, and particularly to a toy of a type having a manually held cup adapted to contain, throw outwardly, and catch an associated ball.

There have in the past been proposed certain types of toys somewhat similar to the present device, and in which a manually held cup is adapted to receive and handle a ball. In these prior devices, the cup has contained an actuating spring or trigger mechanism which functions to eject a ping pong ball or the like a short distance from the cup. However, such arrangements have been very limited in the manner in which they could be used, and have not been of a character to hold the interest of a user for any extended period of time, or to permit manipulation in ways enabling the development of specialized manual dexterity and skill in use of the toy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A toy embodying the present invention is so constructed as to inherently maintain the interest of a user over a long period of time, by virtue of the highly unique manner in whichit can be manipulated, and the opportunity for development of various different types of skill in producing different types of movement of the ball relative to the cup and user. At the same time, the toy does not require two persons for its use, but rather is fully manipulatable by one person alone. The device is very simple in structure, and inexpensive to manufacture, and is rugged enough to withstand use and abuse over a long period of time.

Structurally, the toy includes a cup which is held in the hand of a user and which is adapted to receive a ball, together with an elongated rubber band or other elastic band connecting the ball to the cup in a manner such that when the ball is thrown outwardly from the cup by the user, the band elastically returns the ball toward but not necessarily right into the cup, with the result that the user can by proper manipulation and skill catch the ball in the cup on its return. The cup may have a wall which is tapered to better receive the ball, and which preferably is laterally deformable to a certain extent by the ball upon contact therewith, in a manner assisting in guiding the ball into the inner end of the cup. To facilitate this flexure of the side wall of the cup, the latter may have slits extending axially therealong. Also, a cushion may be provided at the inner end of the cup, for reducing the tendency of the ball to bounce out of the cup when the ball is caught.

Certain particular features of the invention relate to a preferred arrangement for permitting adjustment of the effective length of the elastic band, to thereby adjust the range of movement of the connected ball before it is returned elastically toward the cup. For this purpose, the elastic band may have a portion which extends through an opening in the cup, and is adjustable longitudinally within that opening, to various different effective length conditions. More specifically, the elastic band preferably extends through the mentioned cushion, and through a handle of the device, and then is wrappable about the handle to different extents in which the free portion of the elastic band has its desired different lengths.

2 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The above and other features and objects of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the typical embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a toy embodying the invention as it appears during use;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the toy, shown partially in elevation and partially in axial section;

FIG. 2a is an enlargement of the swivel of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are transverse sections taken on lines 3-3 and 4-4 respectively of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective showing of the handle of the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1, the toy 10 includes a cup 11, a ball 12, an elastic band 13 connecting the ball to the cup, and preferably a swivel 112 between the ball and elastic band enabling turning of the ball without twisting the band. The swivel may be of conventional construction including a hollow body 212 and two eye elements 213 connected rotatably to the body. The ball may be a solid resilient ball of elastomeric material, e.g., rubber, containing a diametrical passage 14 through which a short cord, string, or elastic band 212 connected to the swivel extends, with the cord 212 having a knot or other enlargement 15 at the outer side of the ball of a size too large to slip through passage 14. The band 13 may be formed of a highly elastic rubber which can stretch longitudinally to a length several times as great as its normal unstretched length, and which has a strength great enough to elastically return the preferably fairly heavy ball 12 with substantial force toward cup 11 after stretching of the band.

The cup 11 includes a main body 16 which may be injection molded from a suitable resinous plastic material, and which is shaped to form a tapering cup proper 17 and a handle 18 by which the cup is held. The cup proper 17 has a side wall 19 which is annular and is centered about the axis 20 of the cup, and which tapers frusto-conically about that axis at 21, from the location of the outer peripheral edge 22 of the cup to the transverse plane 23 of FIG. 2. From this plane 23 to a second transverse plane 24, the side wall 19 of the cup may extend directly axially, to form a normally straight cylindrical portion 25 of the side wall, still of course centered about the main axis 20 of the device.

Between peripheral edge 22 and plane 24, the side wall of the cup is relatively thin, and in particular is thin enough to enable substantial localized lateral deflection of a portion of the side wall, away from axis 20, if the ball 12 upon return to the cup strikes the side wall at an ofl-axis position, such as the position 12' of FIG. 2. In that Figure, a laterally deflected condition of a portion of the side wall of the cup is represented in broken lines at 19'. To facilitate such lateral flexure of the cup, it is formed of a substance capable of this type of flexure, such as for example and preferably polyethylene, and in addition the side wall 19 of the cup desirably contains a series of elongated slits or cuts 26 (typically 12 such slits) lying in axial planes and and cylindrical portion 25 of the cup side wall. As seen in FIG. 2, these slits may have first ends 27 commencing in the transverse plane 28 at approximately the longitudinal center of the tapering portion 21 of the cup, and from those ends 27 the slits may extend continuously through the location of the previously mentioned plane 23 and to the opposite ends 29 of the slits near the inner extremity of the cylindrical portion of the cup. The peripheral edge 22 of the cup is desirably somewhat thickened, as by providing an annular bead 30 at that edge for resisting substantial flexure of the cup at its edge while enabling the desired localized flexure at the locations of the slits 26.

Inwardly beyond plane 24, the material of the cup body 16 forms a wall 31 having a planar surface 32 disposed transversely of axis 20 and defining the inner end wall of the cup. Adjacent this wall surface 32, there is provided an annular cushion 33, having two parallel opposite side surfaces 34 and 35, and having an outer cylindrical surface 36 which is a sufiiciently tight fit within the cylindrical portion 25 of the cup side wall to retain cushion 33 frictionally in its illustrated position of FIG. 2 at the end of the cup. This cushion is of a material which is soft enough to compress very readily under the force exerted by ball 12 when the ball returns to the position 12" of FIG. 2. The cushion 33 should be much softer than the ball (and cup body 16), and preferably has some resilience. To attain these results it may be formed of an appropriate soft resilient foam material, such as a suitable rubber or resinous plastic sponge substance, typically. It may also be noted at this point that the internal diameter of the cylindrical portion 25 of the cup should be only slightly greater than the external diameter of ball 12, to allow free movement of the ball into and out of the cup and yet at the same time very effectively locate the ball in the end portion of the cup when held therein.

Projecting rearwardly from the transverse wall portion 31 of the cup, the material forming this cup is molded to provide the previously mentioned handle portion 18, centered about and extending along-axis 20. The diameter of this handle, and the axial thickness of transverse end wall 31 of the cup, should both be great enough to render the handle and wall 31 substantially rigid, or at least much more rigid than the thinner and more flexible side wall 19 of the cup. Externally, handle 18 has a cylindrical outer surface 37 centered about axis 20, and at its opposite ends has two slightly enlarged diameter cylindrical surfaces 38 and 39. The elastic band 20 extends through an axial opening or passage 40 in cushion 33, and then through an axial passage 41 in handle 18, to pass outwardly fi'om the inner or rear end of the handle through the end 42 of passage 41 (see FIG. By pulling the end of the elastic band through passages 40 and 41 and to different positions, the eflective length of the band between cushion 34 and the ball (that is, the normal unstretched length of the band) may be varied as desired to allow for difierent ranges of movement of the ball in use.

At its inner end, the elastic band 13 has an enlarge ment 43 (FIG. 5), typically formed by merely forming a knot in the end portion of the elastic band. This enlargement is utilized for holding the band in different length conditions in which the end part of the band is wrapped about the handle through different numbers of turns. The slightly enlarged end portion 39 of the handle contains a groove for receiving the elastic band as it exits from opening 42, with this groove having a portion 44 extending radially outwardly along the outer transverse surface 45 at the end of the handle, and then extending at a generally helical angle at 46 through the periphery of the enlarged portion 39 of the handle. This angular portion 46 of the groove may extend radially into the enlarged portion 39 of the handle to a depth approximately equal to the diameter of the outer surface of cylindrical portion 37 of the handle. Thus, the elastic band may extend radially outwardly through groove portion 44, then generally helically through groove portion 46, and then be wrapped helically about portion 37 of the handle for ultimate retention of the knot 43 within a locking notch 47 formed in the opposite end of the handle. As seen best in FIG. 4, this notch 47 may be simply a cylindrical bore drilled radially into the material of the handle, and communicating with a transverse slit 48 cut into the handle and extending through notch or bore 47. The elastic band may then be received within and extend through a portion of the slit 48 in approaching the bore 47 within which the knot is received. As will be apparent, the axial width of the slit 48 is much smaller than the axial dimension of notch or bore 47, so that the knot can not pass circularly through the slit, and is in effect locked within the bore 47 until forcibly removed therefrom.

In using the device, a person first places the ball 12 within the cup at the location indicated at 19' in FIG. 2, and then holds the device by means of its handle 18,

I and moves the cup rapidly in a manner causing it to throw ball 12 outwardly away from the cup, as seen in FIG. 1. As the ball moves outwardly, it of course stretches the elastic'band 13, with the latter ultimately causing return of the ball toward the cup, and with the operator manipulating the cup and so locating it in a manner to catch the ball in the cup. lfthe ball is slightly off-center as it enters the cup, it may deform the side wall of the cup as shown at 19' in FIG. 2, so that the deformed side wall acts to direct the ball effectively toward the ultimate position 12" of reception in the inner end of the cup. The ball is of a weight and the band 13 is of a strength and resilience to cause such deformation of the side wall of the cup. When the ball reaches the position 12", it compresses cushion or pad 33, and this compression of the pad assists in preventing resilient rebounding of the ball outwardly from the cup, with the result that the ball is then retained in the cup until the user purposely moves the cup to again throw the ball outwardly. As will be apparent, the ball may be thrown in many difi'erent ways, as to bounce it on the ground or on wall surfaces on its way out or on its way back, or to cause it to follow a more circuitous path back and forth several times before ultimately being caught, or to move in any of many other difierent possible ways limited in number only by the imagination of the user.

. If the user wishes to shorten or lengthen the effective length of the elastic band 13, he merely moves the band longitudinally with passages 40 and 41 in cushion 33 and handle 18 to a proper length position, and then wraps the bandabout the handle through whatever number of turns is required to give the band the desired efiective length, with ultimate final connection of the knot 43 within notch 47 as previously discussed. The band is of course pulled tight enough on the handle and within notch 44-46 to retain the band in the adjusted position until again purposely changed in length. As seen best in FIG. 5, the knot 43 is desirably formed in band 13 in a manner leaving an unknotted extreme end portion 113 of the band beyond the knot, which can extend through and project beyond the second half 148 of slit 48 in handle 18. This facilitates connection of the end of the band to the handle by enabling a user to grasp the rubber band at opposite sides of knot 43 and then move the band easily into a position of proper reception within recess 47 and into slit 48 at both sides of the knot. To further facilitate connection of the rubber band to the handle, the band is preferably shaped in the form of a thin or fiat ribbon, whose small thickness dimension can be easily accommodated within slit 48.

While a certain specific embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed as typical, the invention is of course not limited to this particular form, but rather is applicable broadly to all such variations as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A toy comprising a ball; a cup adapted to be held in the hand of a user and shaped to catch and contain said ball and from which the ball may be thrown outwardly away from the cup; and an elongated elastic band connected at one end to said cup and at an opposite end to said ball and acting to yieldingly resist movement of the ball away from the cup and then elastically return the ball toward the cup to be caught therein by the user, said cup having a side wall defining a ball receiving recess which tapers to a reduced size as it advances inwardly toward the inner end of the cup, said side wall being formed of a material which will resiliently flex laterally under the impact of said ball when the latter enters the cup at a location offset from its center, said side wall containing slits extending axially inwardly therealong to facilitate said flexure thereof.

2. A toy comprising a ball; a cup adapted to be held in the hand of a user and shaped to catch and contain said ball and from which the ball may be thrown outwardly away from the cup; an elongated elastic band connected at one end to said cup and at an opposite end to said ball and acting to yieldingly resist movement of the ball away from the cup and then elastically return the ball toward the cup to be caught therein by the user, a cushion at an inner end of said cup positioned to be struck by the ball when the latter is caught in the cup, and a handle projecting rearwardly from the cup behind said cushion, there being an opening in said cushion and a passage extending longitudinally through said handle, said elastic band extending through said opening and passage to a rear end of the handle and then being wrapped about the handle to adjustably shorten the efiective length of the band, said handle having a first notch for receiving and holding an enlargement near an end of the band, and having a second notch for receiving and holding a second portion of the band, said band being wrappable about the handle between said two notches and for different numbers of turns to effect ad'ustment f the effe tive b nd len th.

. A toy as recited in claim 2, in w ich sziid cup has a side wall defining a ball receiving recess which tapers to a reduced size as it advances inwardly toward the inner end of the cup, said side wall being formed of a material which will resiliently flex laterally under the impact of said ball when the latter enters the cup at a location oflset from its center, said side wall containing slits extending axially inwardly therealong to facilitate said flexure thereof. 

1. A toy comprising a ball; a cup adapted to be held in the hand of a user and shaped to catch and contain said ball and from which the ball may be thrown outwardly away from the cup; and an elongated elastic band connected at one end to said cup and at an opposite end to said ball and acting to yieldingly resist movement of the ball away from the cup and then elastically return the balL toward the cup to be caught therein by the user, said cup having a side wall defining a ball receiving recess which tapers to a reduced size as it advances inwardly toward the inner end of the cup, said side wall being formed of a material which will resiliently flex laterally under the impact of said ball when the latter enters the cup at a location offset from its center, said side wall containing slits extending axially inwardly therealong to facilitate said flexure thereof.
 2. A toy comprising a ball; a cup adapted to be held in the hand of a user and shaped to catch and contain said ball and from which the ball may be thrown outwardly away from the cup; an elongated elastic band connected at one end to said cup and at an opposite end to said ball and acting to yieldingly resist movement of the ball away from the cup and then elastically return the ball toward the cup to be caught therein by the user, a cushion at an inner end of said cup positioned to be struck by the ball when the latter is caught in the cup, and a handle projecting rearwardly from the cup behind said cushion, there being an opening in said cushion and a passage extending longitudinally through said handle, said elastic band extending through said opening and passage to a rear end of the handle and then being wrapped about the handle to adjustably shorten the effective length of the band, said handle having a first notch for receiving and holding an enlargement near an end of the band, and having a second notch for receiving and holding a second portion of the band, said band being wrappable about the handle between said two notches and for different numbers of turns to effect adjustment of the effective band length.
 3. A toy as recited in claim 2, in which said cup has a side wall defining a ball receiving recess which tapers to a reduced size as it advances inwardly toward the inner end of the cup, said side wall being formed of a material which will resiliently flex laterally under the impact of said ball when the latter enters the cup at a location offset from its center, said side wall containing slits extending axially inwardly therealong to facilitate said flexure thereof. 